Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on Senator Barbara Mikulski’s announcement that she will not run for re-election in 2016:

Secretary Kerry, welcome back. You continue to represent our country with passion and dedication, and I thank you for your tireless efforts. Since you were sworn in two years ago, you have worked diligently on both Middle East Peace and Iranian nuclear negotiations; faced nonstop crisis in Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine; and consistently worked to counter terrorism and advocate for human rights and